Front row seat to my pity party of one!

I am still here ...

I feel like I have been stuck on a roller coaster for the last 2 1/2 weeks.  Up and down and up and down again ... and I'm not the one that had the heart attack.

January 26, 2015 my husband and I were at the office when he said "Honey something isn't right ... I think I need to go to the hospital".  That was at 9:50am ...

Before I go any further ... He's fine now!  They put a stent in and sent him home with in 24 hours!  He is going to be back to his normal self in just a few months.  Today's Echo-Cardiogram (SP?) showed absolutely no damage and he is cleared to resume his normal activity!  Praise the Lord!  He does have to allow for the stent to fully heal.

Now a little bit of back tracking ... Every time that my husband went in to his Dr ... his Dr. would harass my husband that he needs to have the Gastric-Bypass Surgery.  It got to the point that hubby asked him if he gets a kickback for referrals.  So back in November when my husband pulled a groin muscle, hubby was actually looking forward to having his weight taken.  According to his records he went from 355lbs down to 245lbs. 

The doctor was thrilled with the results ... asked him when he had the Gastric-Bypass Surgery and was looking it up in his chart ... well I opened my mouth and said oh no we are "Low-Carb"  The Dr. spun around and started waving his finger at me when I added "High Fat".  I was kind of expecting that reaction based on the blogs I have read ... and I was kinda happy when he ordered blood work done for cholesterol.  And I just kinda shrugged off the lecture about how an optimal diet would be a low-fat plant based diet. 

We got the results ... and it was about what we were expecting:

 

All within normal range, or at least acceptable ... the Dr.'s only response on every test was sugar is a bit high and need to be rechecked in 3-5 months ... it was  110 which was a 1 point drop.  

So back to January 26th ... the Kaiser Clinic is about 2 miles from our office ... so I drove hubby straight there ... They were awesome ... they got us straight in with the Dr. in just moments, the ambulance was called as soon as they saw how he was sweating ... But as they were hooking up the EKG wires ... the Dr. looks at me and says are you still doing HIGH FAT? 

OMG 

Fast Forward ... the Cardiologist comes out to talk to me ... he is telling me how everything went really well ... that there was a total blockage on the right something artery .. then proceeds to tell me that everyone over a certain age has plaque and narrowing arteries and that it was probably a combination of that and his smoking ... and then he proceeds to tell me that he could stand to loose a little bit of weight ... and I smiled and said he had just lost 100 pounds ... and he was impressed and then said well then maybe he should start exercising ... and I told him he does weight resistant training 3-4 times a week.And then he asked is he on a plant based diet?  And of course I said "No we are Low-Carb and Moderate Protein and Fat" (see I thought I learned my lesson).   His words ... "The American Heart Association says the guidelines are a plant based diet. So that is what I'm telling you, you don't want him back here right?"

OMG Did I do this to him?

Then my brother shows up at the hospital ... you know the brother that told me to read the book?  I am so relieved ... he knows what we are doing ... he has done the research ... he will understand ... but he says, Sis I don't know what you are doing but you have got to listen to the Dr. you are gonna kill him"  OMG ... while I'm standing there in total disbelief he goes on to tell me that I've morphed the information in the book in to an unhealthy version of a starvation diet"  I asked him how we have deviated from the advise?  and he says he did not know because he doesn't know what we are doing now but no way it could be healthy we are loosing weight too fast. I said hubby is averaging 2 pounds a week and I'm averaging 1 pound a week ... isn't that what EVERY diet and program says is healthy? My brother actually rolled his eyes and said okay sis ... do it your way ... but I'm telling you ... your husband could die!

Now I don't even want to  talk about the phone calls from my mother ... yep my brother called her and explained apparently in detail how I'm gonna kill my husband ... so she calls to get the name of the book... and lets me know she will be reading the book so she can help me get back on track!  Bless her heart!  Really bless her heart!  it is in the right spot ... But I've shared with her over and over how we are eating ... its simple!!!  It's healthy ... It's real ... she would benefit so much from it ... considering she is DIABETIC and a sugar addict! 

In the meantime we have had 5 doctor's appointments and 2 nutrition classes.   I scheduled a physical with my doctor ... and during the appointment I talked to her about our diet ... and she said "the American Heart Association recommends a Plant Based Diet ... that is what we have to recommend.  Then she pulled up my chart and showed me my weight graft ... in the last 5 years I have gone from 294 lbs to 212 pounds ... and she again said  ... "the American Heart Association recommends a plant based diet!"  And then she said "You've done a great job so far, keep up the great work!"   Now I took it as ... I have to say this ... but I mean this???? And when I shared that ... I was told that I just had wishful thinking.   Oh on a side note ... she did find that I have 2 spots that she believed needed further investigating by dermatology. 

Hubby is really on the fence about our way of eating ... and I can't blame him ... he did just have a heart attack.  During the healthy heart class they really strongly suggested starting everyday with oatmeal and she stressed how important whole grains are for a healthy heart ... and she droned on for ever on how to read a label.   She pointedly asked each person/couple if they were ready to start a plant based diet and did we have any questions about how to read a food label ... I swelled with pride when my hubby looked at her and said "we don't eat food that comes with a label".  The stupid lady started to tell us the dangers of eating fast food and restaurant food.  

So the new comprised way of eating is ... more chicken instead of beef ... and I agreed to try to stomach fish at least once every two weeks.  And I will go lighter on the oil while cooking ... and he promises to stop eating bacon like its candy in-between meals and I promise I will never put butter in his coffee.  And we both agree that there is no way we will become vegetarians! 

When I started this blog I promised myself to keep it positive ... I honestly believe that if you wake up and tell yourself you are going to have a great day ... your chances of having a great day are a lot better than if you wake up saying oh I hope I don't have a shitty day ... and I wanted this blog to be a positive reinforcement.  So this is it ... this was my pity party! 

Oh and by the way ...  I weighed in this morning ... it is Friday after all ... at 212.6 not sure if that is up or down ... I will have to go scan Gwen's blog to see what my official weigh in was.  Either way I'm okay and Hubby is okay!

PS...

OMG 

Here's the hospital's version of a healthy dinner:

I should have taken a picture of the entire tray ... I did not picture the chocolate cake or the cup of applesauce.  This is how we got fat in the first place! 

 

What the hell?

How do you loose 100 pounds ... have great cholesterol levels ... and then have a heart attack? 

What the hell!

Not what I expected.  

Hubby is going to be fine ... but I guess we are going to have to do some re-evaluating of everything we have been doing. 

Never too Old

I had the best day! 

My Daughter  wanted to have her garage insulated and sheet rocked,  so she can install some cabinets that we found being pulled out of a commercial unit that was being remodeled ... Score!!!  We got them for nothing!  Our hubbys said they would deal with it when football season was over with ... well  we decided that we didn't need to wait for super bowl before it got done.   How hard could it be?   We watch the DIY Network. 

If I wanted a home improvement project done ... like say shelves added to a closet???? I would spend 18 months badgering my husband into agreeing to do it for me.  Seriously it took him 2 hours to do it from start to finish ... but took me 18 months whining!  I seriously think that must be part of the "honey-do" process!
The plan was to get one wall completed before the guys got home... so we sent the grandson's to the "Other" Granny and started our day with a green coffee smoothie and a couple of pieces of bacon. 

Any way the insulation was pretty easy to put up. Well fairly easy ... just make sure you are covered up pretty good ... and a quick note ... read the package that the insulation comes in ... didn't know until we were on the last piece that some of the insulation is per-perferated if you have to cut them down ... that would have saved time!

Lunch was a couple of oranges that the "other" granny sent home.  Planned on tuna salads but never got around to it ...

So we got the first sheet up ... not as easy as I thought it would be ... you should have seen me cutting around the plugs ... what a joke!!!!  Honey has a new item on his to do list ... Patch miss-cut!

 ... well my dad who turned 93 last July  ... hung sheet rock for a living ... in the 50's when he first came to California.   He has some of the best stories!  Some funny ... some scary ... some you just won't believe ... anyway who better to call to ask how many screws really need to be put in ... and how do you cut around the pipe that sticks out of the wall. 



Dad bless his heart got in his truck and rushed over ... (left my mom on the porch locking the front door - he forgot to wait for her)

Dad to the rescue!!!!  He showed us how to measure and pre-cut the sheet rock before you put in on the wall!  LOL ... He explained why you stagger your seams and where to place the screws.  We got that wall done!  We even got to hear some more stories of when he worked some of the high rises being built in San Fransisco and Oakland. 

3 Generations!

It was a good day!  And thanks to my fellow blogger  Alati at The Daily Journey to a Better Me I remembered to get pictures of me and Dad! 

You know before I changed my way of eating ... there was no way I would have been able to even participate in this project ... I would have been taking the pictures ...and sitting on the side lines. Now I get to be a part of the pictures ... What a sense of accomplishment!

Not every victory is on the scale!  Sometimes its in the ability to actually get up and do something that you never thought you could do!

It really was a good day!

 

 Oh ... and this morning when I weighed ...212.8 lbs! 

A life with out pictures and my New Year's Resolution

I have spent a lifetime avoiding being in the picture ... Anytime the camera's come out I'd go into hiding.  There are very few pictures of me at Christmas, there are hardly any pictures of me at any of the family functions ... none with my daughters.  Really I was part of their lives ... honest I was there!

In addition to not showing up in the family photos, I avoided being out and seen.  You know I have never been to any of the Class Reunions.  This year will be our 30th.  Yikes. 

I stay home ... I always decline when invited to the movies,  concerts or sporting events. 

Professionally I have held myself back because I would not go to seminars, events, conventions.  And when I could not get out of an event I sat in the back and hid.  God don't ask me to mingle!

I hated flying!!!  Not because of flying but fitting in the seat.  Biggest fear is being mid-travel and being told I need to buy another seat.  I missed out on a lot of family reunions and family events ... would always make up an excuse and would send my daughters and hubby ...  you know I just couldn't get out of work for that long someone has to hold down the fort! HA ... LIES!  I missed more than I can ever tell you ... people who are no longer here ... that I will never get the chance to visit with or love.

I married the most gregarious, friendliest man on earth ... he can strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere ... the grocery store, the hardware store, doctor's office ... in line for the potty ...anywhere! Stand still for a moment and he will talk to you and tell you a joke.  And it killed me ... I hated for him to draw attention to us.  I would hide behind him and act like I wasn't with him, then when we would get home I would mourn that I didn't take the opportunity to join in. 

I have not made a real new friend in 25 years.  You can't make friends if you are hiding... they aren't going to come knock on your door and say "I wanna come in and get to know you" well a salesman would but ... I don't have enough money to buy a friend that way.

My weight has interfered in almost every aspect of my life.  The worse part it has affected everyone around me too!

So my New Years Resolution this year is to get front and Center in Every Picture no matter what my hair looks like or what I'm wearing!And to start being a part of my family's memories and to stop hiding in the background.

Hi My Name is Retha ... what's yours?

Its Progress

Today marks the end of one year.

January 10, 2014 - 278.8 lbs

January 9, 2014 - 213.8 lbs

No Grains ... No added Sugar

I'm not done!  

Black Eyed Peas & My feelings are almost hurt

First ... Happy New Years!

We all have family traditions, we may not know why we do them every year ... but we know something drastic will change forever if we give them up.  My family has always celebrated the New Year by eating Black Eyed Peas & Corn Bread.  My husband hated them!  For years and years, he would snarl up his nose and walk away ... but hey I have eaten black eyed peas every year since I could eat solid food. Its for good luck.  Imagine what would happen if I skipped a year! 

About 20 years ago, I got imaginative and made them into a soup ... BAM ... Success!  Hubby loved it!... Neighbors loved it! My girls loved it!  Took me hours of chopping, simmering and tasting... but I created a recipe that was a favorite.  For the next 7-8 years that we lived in that house ... our neighbors  would show up with their empty Tupperware bowls for MY SOUP!  My mother stopped making her peas because dad wanted mine ... even my brother would drive over the hill to come for my Black Eyed Pea soup.

Now I can't tell you in words how proud I have been all these years that my friends and family really and truly loved my soup.  I feed people!  That is what I have always done ... a true food pusher! When we had parties ... I made enough food for 3-4 gatherings ... NO ONE LEFT HUNGRY!

This year things are a bit different ...  I have changed my way of eating ... I eat clean real foods ... I don't use processed box foods or added sugar.   I'm mindful of everything I eat.  I made the decision that I would make my Black Eyed Peas one last time! But I would be mindful of the forbidden ingredients(Sugar) and leave them out.

Well I thought they turned out really good! Hubby loved them ... Daughter said they actually were better than ever.  However ...

I had my oldest daughter drop off the bowl for my parents on her way home ... and this morning I called to see if they wanted more ... hmm ... dad said ... "hun, don't let cissy make it next year ... she doesn't do it like you do, we told your brother not to bother coming"

So I'm sitting here wondering how I feel ... are my feelings hurt or is this just part of the new me?

Merry Christmas Eve ... Eve

Alati's stolen sign :)

Christmas Eve is our family's gathering tradition. That way hubby and I get to hang out all day in our p.j.'s  and do whatever we want to do or not do, and it frees up the girls to go spend Christmas Day with the husband's family with no guilt or juggling. 

We also sneak in a very early Christmas Breakfast with just our kids. Every year they come to the house before the sun is up, still in their p.j.'s for breakfast and Santa   It's the very best part of Christmas! My Son in Law does all the cooking while we play with the grandsons. Don't know what it will be like when my daughter decides she wants to start doing the early mornings at her house.  I'm sure that day is coming the boys are getting older.  I guess I will know how my mom felt.  

Since about thanksgiving I have been struggling with the holiday fears of binge eating. It and gift giving has consumed most of my time, energy and holiday spirit.  Last year, we agreed (after I badgered) that if you were gifting to an adult it had to be home-made.  Well, that would have have been awesome if I would have started at the beginning of the year ... instead of sometime in November.  

I have had quite a few emotional ups and downs worrying about what do I do if I eat... What if mom makes ... What if there's this or that ? What if I eat dessert, will I gain everything back? What do I do if they bring See's candy? Fudge?  Instead of enjoying the season, which is my absolute favorite time of year, I have been obsessing about my weight and food! Not normal planning ... but obsessing!  

I love my embroidery machine!!!

Well as of this moment I'm done ...DONE!  

For the last 11 months I have had plenty of chances to eat off plan, sometimes I even planned to "cheat" but when the time came, it was pretty easy to choose the REAL food ... instead of the garbage!  I LIKE the REAL food better than the processed garbage food ... So as of this moment ... I'm going to stop fretting and enjoy!  I'm going to trust that I can and will make the right choices and if I don't ... Oh well, I am not going to let 1 meal de-rail me ... besides I threw all my big clothes away!!! LMAO

I'm going to enjoy the next 48 hours of this wonderful season with out worries about food! As of this moment ... its about spending quality time with my family! 

Now that my food issues have been put to rest ... Can I get a volunteer to come iron & wrap all these napkins? ... I'm tired!

Merry Christmas !

I think I see toes

21 days until my one year mark.

January 10th ... you know I couldn't tell you what I was doing 2 weeks ago ... but I can tell you in detail about that day, January 10th, 2014 and the following 3 weeks.  It took me 3 weeks before I believed I would be able to actually live without eating bread, pasta or pizza! 

Every morning hubby and I would sit on the back porch with our morning coffee & smoke (yea yea I know.. anyway- stop judging ... one issue at a time lol) we had lots and lots of conversations about what we should do next ... expecting to fail ... like every other diet attempt.  But at about day 20 our conversations changed to what we were looking forward to the most.  How much we wanted to loose.  What did we think it would be like.  What would we do?

In the beginning we talked a lot about when we can eat such-n-such again ... and how we know we will have to be careful not to gain it all back.  Now our conversations are more like:

"Oh my god I didn't have to get a seat belt extender"

"Honey, have you noticed that the car feels bigger?"

"Go ahead and park there ... I don't mind walking"

"Ya want to go pick up the grandkids and go ... " 

"Damn it you bought another shirt?"  <-- me to hubby

"I need another bag for the donation clothes"

21 more days ...  I have a long way to go ... but who would have thought I would still be at it ... 21 more days!

Begin weight    278.8
Today's weight 214.4

I have a list

You would think I would know better! 

Friday night I skipped dinner ... completely lost track of time.  Hubby was enjoying a boys night out.  I got wrapped up with the embroidery machine ... BTW ... I love my machine!  Any way about 11:30  hubby got home ... with a couple of bags of Late July Corn Chips. 

I was just going upstairs to turn in when I spotted the chips ... With out thinking it through I opened the pretty blue bag and next thing you know I  did a nose dive ... seconds later ... seconds I tell you ... that bag was completely empty!   Not a crumb ... Nada!

Hubby walked back in the room ... did a double take ... and kinda smirked ... "I guess those go on the not allowed in the house list!" 

Now three days later ... I am unhappy to report I am still up 2.5 pounds.  I know better ... I know there are foods that I can not touch ... foods that I can not control... foods that control me.  There is no such thing as moderation... no such thing as just a bite. Someday maybe but I have not learned how to take a bite and be satisfied ... at this point I don't know if I ever will ... so Late July ... you are out of here! 

Survived the Storm

Well if you have had the TV on all all this week I'm sure that you heard that we were expecting the Storm of the Year ... I watched on the news were people in our area were actually boarding up windows, piling sandbags, cutting trees ... nerves have been on edge ...  Schools closed ... for us,we had jobs cancel ... But I'm happy to announce that we survived! 

Saw this and had to share!

While it is a cute picture, I don't want to minimize the extent of damage that some people are having to deal with ... However in my immediate area we did have a few trees re-decorate a few homes and lots of street flooding ... prayers and positive thoughts for those that are having to deal with the aftermath ...  For me ... nothing but a few leaks here and there (rentals)... and fortunately have the roofer on speed dial. 


On the plus side ... I weighed this morning for the Holiday Scale Accountability Club and I'm thrilled to announce that yesterday's handling of that box of See's Candy did not have a lasting effect... I kinda expected a slight to moderate gain from just handling the box... Figured if I had actually opened it ... I would have had a 20 pound gain!  So today's weight is exactly the same as last week ... 216.2.  I'm content with that.  I'm in this for the long haul.  This is for life ... so for now I'm happy!

Re-Gift that puppy

Okay so this morning I walk in to work  ... what do I find on my desk?  

Surprise

Christmas has Arrived!

No card ... No Note ... 

Thank you !!!  But um-mm no thank you???

 

Well everyone on the west coast pretty much knows what is in the box right?  

50 billion carbs! Oh ... did you know there is one piece in that box that is better than SEX?

 Yes I said that! Oh it is just so true! 

But... there is also a one way ticket to putting those 63 pounds back on!

 

Eleven Months!!!!  Yes, Eleven Months!!!  Nothing is going to make me open that box!  

NOPE ... NOT GONNA HAPPEN ... NO WAY ... NO HOW ... NOT TODAY

Time to learn & apply the act of Re-Gifting!  HA!  Re-Gifting with conditions! I will give you this box full of deliriously delicious box of Carbs... on the condition that it does not get opened within 50 yards of me or left where I can see it!

Accountable 2

On October 17, 2014 I said I would post my weight here in this blog every Friday ... I have posted my weight every week at The Sunny Coconut but I have not faithfully posted here.  I challenged myself to not only not gain any weight over the holiday season but a personal goal to loose 10 pounds ...

Beginning  challenge weight: 225.2 pounds

7th Week weigh in: 216.2 pounds

That's 9 pounds!

So today I'm ....

Now here's the confession ... I have not done any exercise ... no cardio ... no walking ... no weight resistance ... no squats, no pull ups, no planks and I haven't even rode the stationary bike ... nothing ... I have been a real couch potato for the last 3 weeks ... this is not acceptable ... I was so proud of myself for getting up and moving ... for the first time in my life I was excited to move but lately I have reverted back ... every excuse in the book has been used.

I know that exercise is just as important as the food I put in my body ... So ... additional goal

So here is my mileage today .... 

My goal is to post at least a 150 mile increase by January 2.  


(Do you know how many times in the last 10 minutes that number has changed?)  So I'm hitting publish before I can change it again!

9lbs.

9 pounds

NINE POUNDS

Dinner

Chopped up steak and leftover roasted vegetables from thanksgiving 

Cauliflower broccoli asparagus onions bell pepper carrots zucchini yellow squash and mushrooms... Did I leave anything out?

Dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. 

Spaghetti Squash Boats

Okay decided I would share a recipe ... this is a recipe that I have had to give to every member of my family at least once.  It has always been a hit at family gatherings ... even with my Son-in-Law! 

 Baked Spaghetti Squash Boats

 Super Easy … Super Delish!

First … find someone that is really really strong, hand them a very sharp knife and then enjoy watching them struggle to cut that sucker in half… length wise. 

Scoop out the seeds and discard. 

lightly oil the squash… I use coconut spray … salt and pepper… then lay it face down on a cookie sheet and bake @ 350 degrees for about an hour …  until soft not squishy

In the meantime … prepare your very favorite spaghetti meat sauce.  

I use the homemade spaghetti sauce that I made with dad’s homegrown tomatoes.  It is a blend of zucchini, carrots, onions, peppers and mushrooms all blended so no one sees that it’s packed with veggies. So use any sauce that you personally like … preferably one that is low in added sugar - good luck finding one that doesn't have it.

Meat Sauce

In large skillet

½  pound of Italian breakfast sausage – jimmy deans crumbled & browned

½  pound of ground hamburger – crumbled & browned

1 lg. onion -diced

1 lg. bell peppers - diced

1qt  Spaghetti sauce

·         Simmer over low heat

 

When Spaghetti Squash is soft … remove from oven … flip over… Now the fun … take a fork and drag through the Squash to make the spaghetti … go all the way to the rind … without piercing.  Occasionally I remove some of the squash so I have a deep enough well to start the layering on of the good stuff

Simply smother with the meat sauce and top with shredded cheese!  Put back in oven and bake until cheese is all melted … and starting to brown. 

You can bake the squash the day before … however you will need to increase your cooking time once assembled.   These keep in the fridge for days and microwave wonderfully!  

The craft day that wasn't

So last Saturday was Kids Craft Day ...

80,000 Perler Beads

10 pounds Citric Acid, Baking Soda, Dead Sea Salt, Essential Oils, Food Coloring

Cherrios & Fruit Loops & Yarn

Felt Ginger Bread Men with lots of little teeny weeny bits and pieces

2 dozen pillow cases

2 NO-Shows ... 1 8year old with a bad case of the whines ... 18month old and a 3 year old ... What do you get?

The biggest mess possible ... and no crafts!  We did however get to pull a purple bead out of the 3 year old's nose! 

But hey they loved the Octopus Hot Dogs . And it only took 2 hours to vacuum all the cheerios up.

Projects completed:  -0-

On the brighter side I was right on target with my eating ... Breakfast was a green coffee smoothie, Lunch (for me) was 5 almonds and a string cheese (all I had time for) and dinner was a scoop of  roasted veggies and a slice of turkey breast ... just before falling into bed!

25 days Really?

The tree isn't unpacked ... The house isn't decorated ...  I have 0 gifts made.

Talk about Stress!        

Last year, once the gifts were distributed and the mess was cleaned up,  my daughters and I were talking and I came up with the brilliant idea that Christmas 2014 needed to be different.  So we agreed with the novel idea that all gifts to an adult must be hand-home made.  Hey we had 12 months! So I made the call to the family and convinced everyone that this would be fun and badgered until everyone agreed.

So last January I set the sewing machine and the embroidery machine out on the dining room table ...

And that is where they have sat ... and sat!

You know the first 10 months it was easy to ignore them ... but lately I have been avoiding that room which is pretty hard to do.

You know every single time I look at the dining table and see those 2 machines ...  I find myself in the pantry looking for something sweet ...  Luckily the only thing sweet in there is a very old jar of maraschino cherries that I just have not thrown away ... I hate maraschino cherries ... BUT I keep picking up that jar.  If I can just make it past the next 25 days with out opening that jar ... 

Note to me:   Keep your big mouth shut!

Tis the day before Thanksgiving and the kitchen is clean!

I'm sure that today is the last day I can say that until next year!

Tomorrow officially starts the chaos at our house ... when the Turkey is put away, the Christmas madness starts ... the Christmas boxes are already downstairs ready to be unpacked.  I absolutely LOVE Christmas decorations!  I love the all the little bits of glitter ... the tinsel ... bows ... bright colors ... we definitely go a bit over the top.  The lights are already up outside ... and we will finally plug them in tomorrow.  HOA be damned!

We are having Thanksgiving at my mom & dad's house just around the corner. We have tweaked the menu to make it plan friendlier ... We have added a few things and deleted a few ...

Its still going to be a lot of food, too much food actually but I am hoping that everyone enjoys the new additions and doesn't mind the missing favorites ... and maybe just maybe we can cut back on the "won't touches" next year. 

What I'm really excited about is ... This weekend... big plans ... We are having a Christmas Craft day!  We will have 5 little ones at the house making Christmas Presents, Place-mats, Baskets/Bowls, Bath-Bombs, and a bunch of other goodies.   Ages 18mo-7year.  Pray for us! We have 90,000 Perler beads ready!  See why I know my kitchen will not be clean again?

Last year I opened my mouth and said we really should have a home-made Christmas ... I begged and badgered everyone in to agreeing that "IF" you are going to exchange a gift with an adult it has to be hand/home-made.  Cool right?  12 months later?  Not so cool!  I have 1 gift made ... Almost. 

Hubby is making Checker Boards for the guys, I was making re-useable machine washable shopping bags ... but that bored me to tears... so I'm on the hunt for a new idea... 

REMIND SELF ... KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!

Well I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving ... hug your family tight ... make lots of memories and remember that a moment on your lips and forever on your hips!!!! 

                                                                                                                                    

Why our Tradition needs to change

 For the last week I have been searching blogs and Pinterest to find alternatives to our normal Traditional menu ... My hubby and I are the only ones that are on a Low Carb -High Fat - no Sugar - No Grains -Real Food program ... however since hubby & I cook a good portion of the meal ... I would like to create a new traditional menu that we can feel good about sharing and one that will satisfy everyone's need to indulge or if I'm honest over-indulge. And I don't want anyone to leave feeling cheated of their holiday.
 
Our Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

We usually have dinner at my mom's house, because mom doesn't decorate for Christmas much anymore ... so ... we have Thanksgiving at her house and Christmas at mine.... Mom & Dad actually live just around the corner (18 houses away) ... so my hubby and I do most of the cooking at home while he is watching the Lions loose ... Oh I mean play ... Dinner usually starts about 2 o/clock when hubby gets done crying about the Lions Game... (you know what the "L" really stands for right?)

So we cook:
Hubby's Beer Can Turkey ... 2 at least ... The  Best Bread Stuffing Ever ... Mashed Potatoes & scratch Gravy ... Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots ... Fresh baked bread
Cranberry sauce from scratch. Then my daughter brings the Green Bean Casserole and my SIL brings Candied Yams and then my mom makes  Granny's Cornbread Stuffing Pickled Sweet Carrots and provides olives, pickles, nuts, crackers etc. AND depending on who mom loves the most at that moment LOL we will either have my favorite Eggplant casserole or my brother's favorite Corn Chowder and if we have both been attentive and sweet ... both!

Then once you have had your fill ... and I mean your fill of this ... while my daughters and I are washing dishes, they break out the deserts if  they haven't already snitched a plate full ... Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Pie, Humming Bird Cake, , Brownies, Buck-eyes, Banana Pudding, Apple Pie ... cookies ... fruit cake ... SEE's Candy (minus my favorite- it never makes it to the table)  then what ever my sister-in-law brings.  honestly this doesn't cover the list of sweets! 

Now I did mention that we start eating about 2 o/clock ... that's because we need time to be able to re-graze through everything one more time before we start dividing up the left-overs ... Now I haven't admitted to you that for every pecan pie that I take over to mom's I've made one for just hubby and I and left at home.  I don't have pictures to show you of the massive amounts of food that I take to mom's or the tons of food that I have stuffed in the back of the fridge just in-case I don't get enough left overs to bring home.

Is there any wonder why I weighed 278lbs last year?  Actually I think I gained a couple of pounds just writing about it!!!

I know I am not at a place in my eating that I can say its okay ... one day ... one meal ... it will be Okay!  Just last Sunday ... Hubby and I decided that we would buy some gluten free ... "healthy-fied" tortilla chips & salsa to eat while we watch the game ... the bag was 8 servings ... I ate the bag!  THE ENTIRE BAG!  And remember that I told you I have a talking scale?   Well that B#!@*$ called me out on it this morning ... 4 ... yes 4 pounds!!!!  222.2 lbs. 

Not really depressed-just really down... but working it out ... Have you read anything about Lipo-Light?  There is a Wellness Lounge here in town that are promoting it ... and I'm seriously thinking about it... what do you think?  I have an appointment to check it out.  

I gave up but didn't give in.

January 10, 2014 I gave up! 

I gave up all grains ... wheat ... rice ... and corn. 

I gave up added sugar ... soda's ... and grilled cheese.

I gave up mashed potatoes, french fries & pasta.

I gave up grilled cheese, macaroni & cheese.

I gave up chile beans, lasagna, & enchiladas.


I may have gave up ... but I will not give in!








 

Random thoughts of thanks

I am thankful that my brother shared a diet book with me.

Before

I am thankful that my husband loves me enough to let me turn our world upside down. I am thankful that my husband is willing to try anything once. 

I'm thankful for the bloggers that share their journeys so openly and honestly.  Reading about your struggles and triumphs remind me that I'm not alone in this. 

I am thankful that I have found a few really knowledgeable and inspirational bloggers that I can follow and learn from.

I am thankful that I no longer weigh 278lbs.


I am thankful that I have 2 awesome daughters that don't get tired of listening to the numbers I'm down or up and that they are supportive and eager to help me improve my health, body and wardrobe!

I am thankful that I can touch my toes! Yes I'm finding my feet again... boy do they need a pedicure!

I am thankful that my husband & I both have jobs so I can spend our money on frivolous items like his & her total gyms, stationary bikes, fitbits, new running shoes, fancy supportive socks, digital food scale, talking scales, Vita-mix blenders ... and clothes!!! And again I'm thankful that my husband loves me enough to try anything once!

Midway

I'm thankful every night that my husband helps chop all those veggies!  

I am thankful that I am getting stronger all the time.  My grandsons are getting bigger and bigger and when they reach up and say hugs Ganny ... I am thankful that I can swoop them up ... both of them at times ... and give them that hug!  (which usually means Ganny I'm tired ... carry me).

 I'm thankful that I could fit in a pair of size 16 jeans.  First time in 37 years!

I'm thankful! 

I'm thankful!

Life is getting better and better!